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Lucas Noguera Paz is to trade Los Jaguares to play for Bath reports A Pleno Rugby. The decision sends shock waves to the UAR as he is the latest high-profile player to depart Argentina.
Under existing policies no players based in Europe are eligible to play for Los Pumas. Since Rugby World Cup 2015 Noguera Paz has been the first choice Loose Head for Argentina. He has been fit for 20 tests since the World Cup and has started in 12 of these matches.
For the 2017 November Internationals he was used as a replacement for Santiago García Botta. The surprising decision from Daniel Hourcade has now been explained. As was the case with Ramiro Herrera who joined Stade Français, preference was given to another roster member with Noguera Paz uncommitted to Los Jaguares.
From the northern Argentine city of Tucumán, Noguera Paz is from rugby country. He was quickly put into the PladAR system and aged 20 was being used as back-up to Marcos Ayerza. Hourcade considered Bruno Postiglioni and Noguera Paz for the role as deputy to Ayerza with the latter ultimately going to the World Cup.
His imminent departure from the UAR system to play in the Aviva Premiership sees him leaving PladAR for the first time. His rise to Los Pumas came from playing in the 2013 Junior World Championship and then for the Pampas XV in 2014.
His move to Bath is to be until June 2019. This will see him playing over a season and a half for the West Country club. He has been sought at a time when the club has injury concerns, notably Nathan Catt.
Los Jaguares final roster for the 2018 Super Rugby season has not yet been confirmed. With Noguera Paz out of the equation García Botta is now the only capped Loose Head props still based in Argentina. Argentina XV players are thereby to be considered. Among them are Franco Brarda, Francisco Ferronato, Facundo Gigena and Nicolás Solveyra. The same players are the options for Los Pumas in 2018.
